Gaya Shraddha in Gokarneshwor (Photo Feature)

Kathmandu: Devotees of the Vedic Sanatana religion are performing the ‘Gaya Shradhha’ in various places of pilgrimage across the country. Gaya Shraddha is observed on the day of Poush Krishna Aunsi.

In Vedic Sanatan, there is a ritual of performing Gaya Shraddha and offering food, clothes, and gifts to the deceased ancestors on the day of Krishna Aunsi, which is also the Aunsi before the beginning of Uttarayan.

There is a belief about the deceased soul (Pitri) loving Krishna Paksha. And on the last day of the Paksha, i,e. Aunsi, people perform Shraddha. There is a religious belief that the people must perform Shraddha in the pilgrimage.

Kushe Aunsi: People performing Pitri Shraddha in Gokarneshwor (Photo Feature)

Therefore people have been performing ‘Shradhha’ in Gorkarna Uttargaya, Trivenidham, Devighat, Reedy, Nuwakot, and Rasuwakot-Sangam based Vetravati, Barah Kshestra and Bishnupadhuka and so on.

A huge crowd of devotees were present, in Gokarneshwor, to perform Gaya Shradhha.

Moreover, this Shraddha is also performed in the Gaya of India today. Hence this is also called Gaya Shradhha.

Similarly, Uttarayan begins from Maghe Sankranti as per the solar calendar. And from Magh Krishna Pratipada as per th lunar calendar. There are also celestial changes in Uttarayan.

In terms of celestial arrangement, on the winter solstice on December 21, the sun was over the Tropic of Capricorn. From that day, if you watch the sunrise and the movement of the sun, slowly, every day it will shift to the north.

(Glimpses of devotees performing Gaya Shraddha in Gorkarneshwor)

(Photo Courtesy: Saroj Basnet)

Nepali version of the photo story